Emmrod’s fishing rods don’t look like your typical fishing gear. The rod that’s the centerprice of the new Packer Premium Combo, for example, is said to cast just as far as a conventional seven-foot rod, yet it’s just 23 inches in length and looks like a piece of coiled wire. Broken down — the Packer comes with four interchangeable rod tips, from an eight-coil to a four-coil model — the rod is just 13 inches long. Each rod tip is designed to handle different fishing conditions, making the Packer combo capable of handling everything from panfish up to 25-pounders. The rods are stainless steel and lock in with a quarter turn of the tip. They feature an automatic hook setting spring, too. The Packer model can be used with a bait casting, level-wind, or a closed-face spinning reel. Rod handles are available in pink, blue, biker orange/black and Lady Biker pink/black. The suggested retail price is $94.70. For information: write EMMROD Fishing Gear, PO BOX 861, Spokane Valley, Wash., 99037; call 1-888-924-6227; e-mail emmrod@comcast.net ; or visit www.emmrod.com .

Lure of the week Wally Marshall Crappie Crank Company: Bass Pro Shops ( www.basspro.com ) Lure type: Crankbait. Sizes and colors: Available in 18 colors and three sizes. Target species: White and black crappies. Technique: These lures are meant to be cast out around but not right in heavy cover, like thick, downed timber, and retrieved. The lure’s tight wobble, 3-D lazer eyes, and detailed design are supposed to attract nearby crappies. Suggested retail price: $3.99. Notable: These lures come in three versions: the model 52S, which is 21/4-inch, 1/4-ounce version that dives 2-4 feet; the 52M model, which is a 21/4-inch, 1/4-ounce version that dives 4-6 feet; and the model 52D, which is a 21/4-inch, 3/8-ounce version that dives 8-10 feet.

Tip of the week If you’re a deer hunter, now is the time to get out into the woods. The regular rifle season is over and the late archery and flintlock seasons haven’t yet started, but now is the time to start scouting for whitetails. Deer tracks that were hard to see in the dirt or leaves are often easy to spot now in mud and snow. An astute hunter will backtrack deer trails to find out where bucks are bedding, feeding and otherwise hiding from hunters. That will give you the information you need to pick out stand sites for the next fall. If you are really serious, you can watch deer to learn their travel routes and the times they use them. As a bonus, winter scouting along rub routes and bedding areas is an excellent way to stumble across shed antlers.

Recipe of the week Applesauce doughnuts Ingredients: &#149 Large strips of foil &#149 1 dozen large cinnamon sugar doughnuts &#149 1 jar applesauce Directions: Slice the doughnuts in half like a sandwich and pour about a 1/2 cup applesauce on one half of the doughnut. Place the other half of the doughnut back on top, then wrap the entire thing in the foil. Heat the dougnuts in the coals — not the flames — of your campfire for 10-15 minutes, then unwrap and enjoy.

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